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The Berkshire Edge On-Air – January 31

The Berkshire Edge LLC is a locally owned, regional publication. Our goal is to provide – regularly and in depth – content that truly reflects the life, interests and aspirations of this unusually rich and vibrant community.

Guided by respected journalistic standards, the principle of fairness, the quest for truth, a commitment to social, economic and environmental justice, and an abiding admiration for the independent spirit of the Berkshires, The Berkshire Edge offers in-depth local news reports and features, perspectives on the arts, wide-ranging commentary, and a comprehensive calendar of events – all written, illustrated, and, in some cases performed, with wit, intelligence, insight and humor.

This week we talk about:

1. The Berkshire legislative delegation is ‘deeply disappointed’ by the Baker administration’s transportation planning, announced in Baker’s state of the state address last week, that does not include passenger rail routes or improvements to rural transportation networks to be developed in the Berkshires.

2. Two Berkshire residents are embarking on another humanitarian mission to Africa, bringing modern solar lights and tools, as well as art supplies, to Kenya… Karen Smith and art gallery owner Phil Pryjma had traveled to Kenya and Botswana numerous times, having gathered tons of equipment. This year, they are focusing on agriculture.

3. Tanglewood has announced its season, and it focuses on Leonard Bernstein, a Tanglewood fellow and frequent guest conductor and pianist, on the occasion of his centennial birthday… we have a roundup (and some video of Bernstein conducting his overture to ‘Candide’) of the spectacular concerts and events that will fill the Shed and Ozawa Hall this summer.

4. We should mention our little brief item about how Gov. Charlie Baker has included in his budget money for supporting the education of Puerto Rican refugees, made homeless by the terrible hurricane. Quite a contrast to Trump who offered them paper towels.

5. The Edge has started the publication of a serial novel, ‘Over the Edge,’ that will appear on Sundays. Each chapter is to be written by a different author… we’ve got a least 10 lined up. Daniel Klein started it off, with the apparent abduction of a faculty member at Bard College of Simon’s Rock —

6. And speaking of international intrigue, we published a fascinating review of Michael Wolff’s ‘Fire and Fury inside the Trump White House.’ It’s the latest installment of our series illuminating the facets of the Trump administration whose policies will have a significant effect upon the Berkshire environment.

7. We also had a fine account of a play performed before theatre packed with high school students of “Jabber,” produced by a Canadian theatre company that confronted how easily the demonization of Muslims and Muslim culture can occur … the play portrays how a Caucasian high school student overcomes his prejudices about Muslims through a friendship he forms with a student who is a recent immigrant from Iraq.

8. Finally, congratulations to Berkshire Hills Regional School District (that’s Great Barrington, Stockbridge and West Stockbridge) for being named to the College Board’s Advanced Placement Honor Roll, being recognized as committed to offering advanced placement courses … 36 students are taking AP biology, for instance; 41 in England Language, 26 in Advanced Calculus.